Blind to Beauty
by Norberts real mummy
Summary: One-shot. Lily is new to Hogwarts in her seventh year, but she has a secret, as does James. Lily thinks her secret could be the end of all the relationships she has built over the school year, James shows her that it isn't true.


Disclaimer: I am not the fabulous JK though I wish I could be, I had no input in the original Harry Potter stories and only write these for fun because I love the series so much.

Blind to Beauty

Lily Evans looked around her room at Hogwarts. She had been staying there all summer but it still fascinated her that the people in the pictures moved, and they would talk to her. At Beauxbatons the most magical thing she had seen in the castle was Madame Maxime, the new headmistress, and that was only because she was half Giant, though she'd admit it to no one.

Lily was going into her seventh year, and had transferred to Hogwarts during the summer, so she would have time to get to know the school and teachers, and she had also been sorted, she was in a house called Gryffindor.

Lily began walking towards breakfast, saying hello to some of the portraits she had come to know. When she reached the Great Hall she walked up to the teachers table and sat next to Professor Dumbledore, he was beginning as Headmaster at the beginning of the year, and Professor McGonagall, who was taking his position as Transfiguration teacher, she was a stern looking lady, but very understanding, she and Lily had grown close over the summer, and spent many evening discussing their thoughts on the upcoming school year.

After Breakfast was finished Lily excused herself and headed to the library, immersing herself in the man tomes, as she had done every day of the summer so far, she had read most of the interesting books in the library.

After finishing her book she headed down to dinner, and after an evening of nice conversation with Professor's Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick Lily headed to her large comfortable bed in Gryffindor tower.

And that was how Lily had spent her summer, everyday was the same routine. That was, until September 1st came around.

Lily was awoken by the screech of an owl outside her window. Opening her eyes she squinted at the bright light, and the tawny owl fluttering outside her window.

Getting slowly out of her bed she walked to the window and pushed it open, letting the owl swoop in and drop a piece of parchment on her bed before flying out again.

Walking over to her bed Lily picked up the parchment and read the small note from Dumbledore, requesting her presence at breakfast as soon as she was able to. So, instead of getting back into her lovely warm bed, Lily went into the bathroom to have a shower and get ready, before heading down to her last peaceful breakfast at Hogwarts.

"Ah, Lily, how nice of you to join us!" Dumbledore spoke in his calm voice, his eyes twinkling like they always did.

"Good morning Professors!" Lily spoke quietly, a small smile visible on her lips. "Was there a reason you wanted to speak with me so early, professor?" she asked politely as she sat down beside the old man.

"Ah, yes, indeed there was my dear! This," he took a thick envelope from the inside of his robe "is for you." Dumbledore passed it to her, his eyes observing her carefully.

Lily took the envelope and turned it over, she saw her name on the front, and, wondering who it was from, she tore it open.

As Lily pulled out the heavy parchment she felt something fall out and land in her lap, glancing down she saw a badge, picking it up and examining it she realised it was the Head Girl badge. "Professor, what is this?" she turned to the professor with confusion in her eyes.

"Well, Lily, I was looking over your records from Beauxbatons and came to the conclusion that you were the perfect candidate for the Head Girl position. The other professors agreed with me." He gestured at the other professors who were all nodding in agreement at what Dumbledore had said.

"But, why me? I haven't been a student here before, won't some of the other students find it unfair for me to receive such an honour?" Lily asked.

"Lily, if the other students are troubled by my decision then I will be very surprised! You are kind and very bright, if they can find a reason for you to not be made Head Girl-" he held up his hand to silence Lily's interruption "that is not as silly as you having not been a student here before, then I shall take it into consideration. Now, your school supplies have been delivered to your room." And with that the headmaster left the hall, humming as he went.

James woke up on the morning of September 1st to a very jumpy bed, and by jumpy he meant that he could feel someone jumping on his bed.

"Sirius..." he groaned, rolling over to put on his glasses. "What are you doing?"

"Waking you up of course!" Sirius continued jumping.

"I realised that! But why?!" James asked exasperatedly.

"Because the train leaves in an hour!" Sirius said calmly.

"The train? The Train! And it leaves in, did you say it leaves in an hour?!" he yelled, hopping out of bed and running to the bathroom.

"Why yes I did, didn't I?" Sirius burst into mad laughter, and ran downstairs to find Mrs Potter standing at the bottom, arms crossed and attempting to look stern.

"Mummy Potter! How lovely you look today!" Sirius adopted an innocent expression and leaned over to kiss his surrogate mother on the cheek.

"Sirius, how many times have I told you not to do to do that to James?"

"Um...lots?" Sirius asked meekly.

"Hmmm, yes, lots!" she smiled, "Go and eat your breakfast!"

After James had found out what Sirius had done he had not been impressed, and spent the next three hours packing his belongings and thinking of ways to punish his best friend. When it was actually time to leave everyone was ready, meaning they got to the platform with plenty of time to get an apartment and say their goodbyes.

"Now both of you be good, I don't want anymore letters home telling me about how you turned all of the Slytherins chairs into toilets, or how you made the ladder to the divination classroom invisible, or-"

"Wow mummy P, we weren't planning on doing anything this year, but those were some great idea's you just gave us, oomph!" Sirius doubled over as James removed his elbow from his stomach.

"We'll be good mum, promise!" He pulled her into a tight embrace, before kissing her cheek and getting onto the train, Sirius soon followed his example, and after waving goodbye, they collapsed in their compartment.

"Prongs..." Sirius spoke like a child who was about to ask for something.

"Yes Padfoot?" James had taken off his glasses and was rubbing his eyes agitatedly.

"Did you really mean what you said to your mum back there?"

"About pulling pranks?"

Sirius nodded.

"Yeah, I guess I did. I'm Head Boy this year, and I think it's about time I started to act like one!"

The two boys lapsed into silence, and were soon joined by two other boys, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

After reaching Hogsmeade station the four boys ran to one of the horseless carriages and hopped in, escaping the rain that had just began to fall.

The boys chatted animatedly until they reached Hogwarts, then they raced inside to sit down at the Gryffindor table. Soon the hall was silent as everyone watched the sorting, cheering when someone new was placed into their house.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts everyone! For those of you who don't know I am Headmaster Dumbledore. Now, I shall save the notices until after the feast. But for now, dig in!" And with that food appeared on the tables and everyone dug in jovially.

The Marauders, as the four boys were referred to, began to talk about their summers, when suddenly the doors to the Great Hall creaked slowly open.

Every head turned to look at the latecomer.

James heard his friends gasp. "What is it?" He murmured to Sirius, who was beside him.

"She's beau-" Sirius was cut off by the approaching footsteps.

"Excuse me? But could I sit here please?" James felt the presence behind his shoulder, and by the nudge he received from Sirius, he guessed she was talking to him.

"Of course you can" he turned to face her direction.

Slowly conversation began to pick up, murmurs could be heard, asking who the strange person was.

James heard the person clear their throat.

"Thanks!" He felt her sit down beside him.

"Um, I'm James Potter pleasure to meet you." He held his hand out to them, a small, delicate hand slipped cautiously into his, shaking it gently.

"I'm Lily Evans.

"Well Hi Lily Evans, I'm Sirius Black!"

"Sirius you don't have to deafen her! Hi Lily, I'm Remus Lupin, and this here beside me is Peter Pettigrew. So, what are you doing here at Hogwarts?"

"Learning." Was Lily's short reply.

"Oh, yes, but, um, which year are you in?" Remus sounded confused.

"Seventh"

"You don't talk much do you?!" James stood on Sirius's foot.

"Excuse him!" He said to her, apologising for his friend. He felt her shoulders shake beside him, she was laughing.

"It's fine. And to answer your question, Sirius, no I don't suppose I do, and I'm sorry if it seemed rude of me!"

"Well, anyway, Lily, tell us a little about yourself?" James asked carefully, hoping it didn't seem like he was trying to intrude.

"Oh, well um, I'm in seventh year, I just transferred here from Beauxbatons."

"Beauxbatons? Really? Why transfer? I've heard it is a fantastic school." Remus stated.

"Oh it is, I just had some...personal problems that I needed to figure out." Lily spoke quietly, and James could hear the hesitation in her voice.

Weeks passed, and Lily became good friends with the boys. They would hang out together in the evenings and Lily and James would joke about on patrols. They all became closer, and the boys felt like Lily was an addition to the group that had been missing for too long.

One day, in the middle of December the boys were talking about what they were going to do for the upcoming holidays.

Peter was going to France with his mother, to visit some cousins.

Remus was going to America to visit some scientists with his parents.

And Sirius and James were just talking about how they would be returning to the Potter house for Christmas when Lily entered the common room, laden down with books.

"Lily!" Sirius cried, jumping up and grabbing her in a bear hug, causing her to drop all of her books onto his foot. He quickly dropped her and started to hop around clutching the injured limb.

Lily walked over to the others and rubbing her bruised ribs. "Hi Boys!" she smiled, flopping down next to James "What've you been doing?"

"We were just talking about what we were going to be doing over the holidays, what're you doing Lils?" Remus asked.

"James felt Lily tense, before she replied "I'll be staying here for the holidays."

The boys all stared at her in shock, including Sirius, who had limped over carrying Lily's books.

"What?" she asked, shifting self-consciously in her seat.

"You can't just stay here for Christmas!" Remus and Sirius cried out in unison, before looking at each other in shock. "Great...Now I sound like Sirius" Remus groaned.

"Yeah...wait-HEY!"

"Lily, just, wait here a second, ok?" James didn't wait for an answer before he ran up the stairs to his dormitory, coming down 10 minutes later with a piece of parchment grasped tightly in his hands.

"You can stay with us!" He practically screamed at her.

"What?"

" . .Us." He spoke slowly and clearly.

"I can't do that James!"

"Why not?!"

"Because I wouldn't want to impose!"

"You wouldn't be! And you don't have a choice, my mum made it an official command to bring you home, so, one way or another, you will be at mine this Christmas!"

"James let go! Put me down!" Lily thumped her friends back a few times.

"Not happening, you are staying with us for Christmas and if this is the only way I can get you there, then this is how it will be!"

Lily looked up to see the other three walking behind them, laughing at her failed attempts at getting him to put her down.

"Shut Up!" she spat at them, pouting her bottom lip.

"Lily, put that bottom lip in!" She heard James call back to her.

"How did you know?"

"Let's call it intuition." He and the others snickered at that. _I wonder what they're laughing at, it wasn't THAT funny!_ She thought.

Lily found that once she gave in, she began to enjoy herself, The Potters were lovely people and they made her feel very welcome.

Lily spent her time having snowball fights (her and James vs. Sirius and ) and talking with Mrs. Potter about books.

But on Christmas eve, everything caught up with her. Lily spent the day curled up on her bed, staring out at the falling snow, tears, streaming down her pale face.

Many people had knocked at her door asking her to come out, but it had been no use, and she was thankful to find that they had given up about an hour ago.

Well that was until she heard a **CRACK!** She turned to find James staring at her, "Thank you Delphie" He said to the House elf beside him, and with another** CRACK! **Delphie had disappeared again.

Lily remained silent, watching James as he stared back at her. She watched His confused hazel eyes flicker across her face, she looked at his forever messy Raven hair, and saw the muscle in his cheek twitch like it did whenever he was upset.

And she began to cry. Not just, silent tears running down her face, but violent, loud sobs, that racked her body and caused her nose to run.

And as soon as James heard the first sob, he was by her side, holding her to him, stroking her back in soothing circles, whispering nonsense words into her ear.

"Get away from me!" She moaned.

"What?" He whispered in shock.

"GET AWAY!" She screamed at him, scrambling out of his embrace and darting to the opposite side of the room, pressing herself into the corner.

"Lily...What's wrong?" James sounded confused and hurt, but Lily didn't dare to look at him.

"Lily!" she felt his presence behind her. A hand made its way to her shoulder, clutching at her, "What is it?"

"You don't like me," She moaned, "No one likes me!"

"What are you talking about? Of course I like you! So does everyone else! What made you think differently?"

"You can't" she whispered, "You can't!"

James pulled her around to face him, "Why can't I?"

"Because of who I am! Because of what I am!" She screamed, tears running in an unstoppable path down her cheeks.

"And what is that?" Lily turned to stare at Mrs Potter, realising that Mr Potter and Sirius were there too, behind her. "What are you Lily?" Mrs Potter spoke in a clear, strong voice.

"Veela..." Lily whispered.

Sirius and Mr Potter stared at her, unsure of what to say. But Mrs Potter walked closer, taking the younger girls hand in her own. "And why would that change anything?"

"Because you don't feel the way you think you do, you don't actually like me, it's this stupid part of me that makes you think you do!" Lily cried out, her eyes were blurred by her hot tears, and her lips tasted of salt from where the hot liquid had met them.

"Mum, could you give me a minute with Lily?" James croaked out, preventing his mother from sying anything more.

Mrs Potter nodded and stepped out of the room with her husband and Sirius, closing the door gently behind them.

James turned to face Lily. "Lils, look at me!" he grasped her chin gently and turned her to face him. "I can't think of you like that!"

"Yes you can, everyone does!"

"No, really, I can't!"

Lily paused. "James, what do you feel about me?" She spoke determinedly.

"The truth?" he sensed her nod. "I love you Lily."

"See, no you don't, you only think you do because the veela part of me is tricking you into thinking that!" Lily tore her hand from his grip and moved to the other side of the room.

"No Lily, that's the thing, I don't see." He took a step towards her.

Lily paused, and hesitantly turned to face him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I can't see you at all. Well I can, but only blurry colours and shapes, and that isn't enough to make me feel the way I do about you!" James laughed nervously, not many people knew about his problem, his parents and friends did of course, and a few of the professors, but that was it.

"You-you mean, you're blind?!" Lily looked at him incredulously.

"That's exactly what I mean." James watched her carefully, afraid of what she would say.

"You really can't see me?"

"No."

"Then how can you tell when I'm in a room, or where I'm sitting, or which way I'm looking?!"

"I sense things!" Lily snorted. "I do! I had to find a way to look after myself so that when I got to Hogwarts I could actually attend the school! I learnt to sense things, I can sense who a person is and where they are and which direction they are facing. I can't see it Lily, but I can feel it!"

Lily watched him carefully, and this time she noticed. She noticed how his body wasn't directly facing her direction and how his eyes never seemed to focus on her for long before he blinked, and how when he blinked, it was longer than an average blink, like the light irritated him.

"it's true..." she breathed, James nodded "You really do love me for who I am then?" He nodded again.

Lily felt a weight lift from inside of her, leaving her feeling light, feeling happy. She bounded across the space separating them and leapt onto him, knocking him back a few steps before he returned the hug. "I love you" he whispered in her ear.

"I love you too" she said it without the guilt she had felt before when she spoke to him. This time, everything about her screamed honesty.

..."Can we come in yet?!"

"Sirius! Be quiet!"

The pair separated and turned to face the door. James smiled at Lily mischievously before stepping lightly over to the door, and quickly yanking it open, leaving Mr Potter and Sirius fighting to keep their balance. Sirius was finally the one who ended up face-planting the floor, he looked up at them "Oops?"

After they returned to Hogwarts everything seemed to return to normal. The group of Gryffindor seventh year's had no more secrets, and they spent the last of the year studying and having fun together.

The day before their NEWT exams James and Lily were studying by the lake. James continued to glance at Lily, he was concerned as she had been a little bit distant with him for the past few weeks.

"Lily?"

"Hmm"

"What's wrong? And don't tell me that nothing is because I can tell when you're lying."

Lily sighed "I've been thinking about my parents."

"What about them?"

"That I wish I could see them."

"Why can't you?" James was confused, Lily had never spoken about her family before.

"They-they were, um, they were murdered, over the summer." Lily spoke clearly, attempting to hide her discomfort.

"Murdered?" James scooted closer to her, reaching his hand out to hold hers.

"Yes, by, uh, by Volde- Sorry, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Lily's face was hidden by her hair so all James could see was a blur of red.

"You were going to say Voldemort!" James whispered, staring at her, a shocked expression on his face.

"Yeah, but-"

"Why did you stop?"

"Stop what?"

"Saying his name, why did you stop?"

"Because people are scared of it James!"

"Are you scared of it?"

"No, but-"

"Then use it." James spoke softly, convincingly.

Lily looked at her boyfriend with admiration, he never judged her actions or commented on her past. He was perfect.

Lily leaned over and pressed her lips to his, capturing them in a sweet kiss. She slowly pulled away, "Thank you!" she whispered in his ear, before pulling away and leaning against the tree, eyes closed in bliss. For the first time in weeks she felt happy.

A/N: So this was my first one-shot and I would really appreciate some feedback on it! So please review! And Thanks for reading 


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